Machine for making tags



(lNoModel.)

C. A. SQUIER. MACHINE FOR MAKING TAGS.

No. 443,548. Patented Deo. 30,- 1890.

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l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. SQUIER, OE BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING TAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,548, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed February Z0, 1890. Serial No. 341,142. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SQUIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Battle Creek, Calhoun county, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Tags; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for making tags from a roll of paper cut to the proper width for the length of the tag.

The inventionV is especially designed for use 1n the manufacture of the tag described 1n my patent, No. 323,461, granted August 4:, 1885, having a re-enforcing Wire secured by a lap-strip; but it may be used to advantage for making any tag having a lap over the end.

The machine is constructed and adapted to be used in connection with Denneys Patent Printer. The invention consists in the combination, 1n a tag-machine, of tape or strip feeding mechanism, tape or strip severing mechanism, and tape or strip lapping or folding mechanism; also, in the combination of a wire-feeding device, a wire-cutter, and means for placing the wire on the head of a tag, and in the combination of means for folding or lapping a gummed strip over the end of the tag outside the wire and a press for compressing the tape over the end of the tag and the cross- Wlle.

In the drawings,Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of opposite sides of the machine, and Fig. 3 is a section across the machine on the line fr c of Fig. 2, looking from the front.

.A is the frame of the machine, consisting of a metal casting having flanges and bosses, being of the general form shown in the drawings and provided with an elongated slot or orifice I, through which a strip of paper from which tags are formed passes from the printing to the tag-forming machine. vThe frame is detachably secured to an arm C of a printin g-machine.

B is the driving-shaft of the tag-machine, suitably connected with a prime motor or with thc driving mechanism of the printing-machine. This shaft operates to rotate the sleeve or part G, mounted in the boX H of the frame. The part G has attached to it camsD,D, E,and E', and the eccentric F, for purposes which will be explained. An arm T extends laterally from the main frame and carries by its side a bed L and at its outer extremity apair of rolls K K', which grip and feed the gummed re-enforcing strip forward to the tag-strip. A ratchet K2 is connected with the shaft of the roller K, and a link or swinging arm E', carrying a weighted pawl f, is hung so as to bring the pawl and ratchet into connection with each other. The swinging arm and ratchet are operated to move the rollers and feed the strip of gummed paper forward step by step by the eccentric F through connecting-rod upon the rotation of the shaft B.

A knife or shear blade L is arranged across the bed L, and a vertically-reciprocatin g knife or shear blade M operates to out the proper length of gummed strip off for connection with the tag-strip. The knife M is operated by cam D through N N O and plunger P. Plunger P works in suitable ways in the upper part of the frame, and lever O is mounted on an adj ustable f ulcrum O. A wire gripping or c ompression disk m and an operating roller or disk m., having a ratchet connected therewith, are mounted on the plunger P, as shown in Fig. 3. A spring-pawln is connected with the frame above the operating wire roller or disk, and the wire gripping and feeding device is operated through the same means as the severing-knife. The pawl cornes into operative connection with the ratchet upon the upward movement of the plunger. A plunger m2 is mounted in and has a movement in common with as well as independent of the plunger P, as will be hereinafter explained. The wireis driven forward into a steel tube or socket h in the plunger P and is cut off and placed on the body of the tag and embedded therein bythe plungerm2, the two plungers being so adj usted as to reach the plane of the paper at the same time. The lap-tape or gummed strip is severed by the downward movement of the plunger P, carrying the shear-cutter M, when the wire is embedded in the tag-strip.

L2 is a finger operated by cam E', lever E2, and bell-crank E3 to lift the severed end of IOO the tape and raise and lold said tape or gummed strip over the edge of the tag-strip. M* is a vibrating press for compressing the lap over the wire and said lap and tag strip between it and the part fil'. The jaws or parts )1 3 )l 1 of the press are made of hardened steel and compress the tape around the wire and tag-strip, and at the same time punch the 1 hole through the head of the tag, a suitable punch r being t'ormed on one jaw and hole in the other, as shown. The movable part lil" ot the press is mounted on a shaft working in I suitable bearings and is cscillat'ed by rack t and pinion I)3 D", operated through the mef dium of cam I). The rack-bar is adjustable through a turn-buckle Iii, as shown, so that the time of the compression may be regulated. L3 is a clamp for holding the tag-strip firmly in place while the tape is being folded over its edge by the finger Ik'. The clamp is op erated by cam E through bell-crank El.

Qperation: The parts of the machine being in the position shown in the drawings, a tagst-rip being fed from the priating-machine through the slot I, and a gummed tape strip being adjusted in its feeding mechanism and the shaft 13 started in the direction indicated by the arrow, the clamp If releases the tagstrip, so that it may be fed forward, and simultaneousl y the plu n ger I descends, the plunger m2 severs the wire, and the shear M severs the tape strip, and meantime the clamp comes into operation again, while the plungers l and m2 come down to the plane of the upper surface of the tag-stri p and the wire is embedded in the body ot said tag-strip. The plunger then begins to rise and the `linger I folds the severed end of the tape strip over the edge of the tag-stri p and the wire, the tag-strip being held in place by clamp IJ". The linger is then returned, and the press part M3 comes down with great force and compresses the lap over the wire and upon the tagstrip, and as the press is raised the tape-folding rollers are operated through the eccentric and pawl and ratchet, as before described.

llaving now described my invention, what l claim is" l l. In a tag machine, the combination of a tag-holder, tape or strip feeding mechanism arranged to feed the tape strip across the line of movement and beneath the tag-strip, a tape-culter for severing the tape strip, and a tape-folder for folding the tape strip over the top of the tag-strip, substantially as described.

L. In a tag-machine, the combination of a tag-holder, tape-feedin g mechanism arranged to feed the tape across the line of and beneath the tagstrip, a tape-cutter, a tape-folder t'or doubling the tape strip over the tag-strip, and a press for securing the lap to the tag, substantially as described.

Ii. In a tag-machine, the con'ibination of a tag holder, a wire-feeder, a wire cutter, a plunger for embedding the wire in the tag, a tape-folder for doubling the tape over the tag, and a press for securing the lap to the tag and over the wire, substantially as described.

4. In a tag-machine, the combination ol' a tagholder, a wirefeeder', a wire-cutter, a plunger for embedding the wire in the tag, tape or lap feeding mechanism, and a press for forming the lap over the tag and wire, substantially as described.

5. In a tag-machine, the combination of a tag-holder, a wire-feeder, a wire-cutter, tape or lap feeding mechanism, a tape holder and cutter, and a press for securing the lap over the tag and wire, substantially as described.

G. In a tag-machine, the combination of a 'tag-holder, tape or lap feeding mechanism, a

tape-cutter, a tape-folder, a wire-feeder, a wire-cutter, a plunger, and a press for securing the lap over the tag and wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. SQVIEH. Witnesses:

DANIEL SQUIER, l TERBERT SMITH. 

